


Comfort

by Starofwinter



Series: Sex and Candy [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Gen, plus friend, space ace trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:09:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: Loudmouth's nightmares just won't stop, till Rabble comes up with a solution.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kristsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/gifts).



> Rabble, Ruckus, and Mischief belong to the ever-lovely [kristsune](http://kristsune.tumblr.com) and Loudmouth belongs to me. She came up with the idea, and I just had to write it!

Loudmouth hadn’t meant to fall asleep.  He just… couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore, especially with Rabble running his fingers through his hair and humming under his breath.  He was already exhausted, the cycle of nightmares starting again, the way it always did.  He was a week in, and he was  _ exhausted _ .  So between one breath and the next, he dozed off, warm and comfortable as he sprawled over the couch and Rabble.

He woke to the sound of his own bitten-off scream, only the tight clench of his jaw keeping him from crying out.  Rabble had a tight grip on his shoulders, keeping him from hurting himself or falling as he cradled him to his chest.  He was murmuring soft reassurances, still stroking his hair.  “Are you okay?”  Loudmouth nodded, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood while he caught his breath.  To his shame, there were tears streaking his cheeks, and he roughly rubbed them away - it was just a nightmare, he shouldn’t be  _ crying _ over it.  He almost pulled away, but Rabble tightened his arms just a little - not so much that he couldn’t get away if he really wanted or needed to, but enough that it felt safe to stay where he was.  “It’s okay, Chief gets them too.  Do you want to talk about it?”  Loudmouth shook his head at that.  He didn’t want to talk about them, not yet.  Not when the images they brought back were still so fresh in his mind.  “That’s okay too.” 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think I’d fall asleep, I’m okay, don’t worry about me…”  He stopped himself from rambling, scrubbing a hand over his face.  “I get them sometimes.  It’s just, after everything… I don’t know, they won’t go away.”

Rabble was still rubbing his shoulder.  “You know, you can always stay with us, if that would help,” he offered, his eyes wide and concerned - Loudmouth really didn’t know why Rabble was so worried, they were just nightmares.  “Chief and Ruck won’t mind, and it helps, sometimes.  Having other people around, I mean.”  

Loudmouth’s brows furrowed, and he shifted a little, uncomfortable.  “I don’t wanna impose-”

“You wouldn’t be.  Hang on.”  Rabble hurried off, going to find his brothers.  Their whispers didn’t carry far enough for him to hear, and he stayed where he was, his shoulders hunched while he tried to get his racing heart back under control.   He wasn’t really sure how to react to them being so worried about him, but he could try to accept it.  He knew they cared about him, just as much as he cared about them.  It wasn’t long before Rabble hurried back.  “They said it’s okay with them, whenever you want to come over.  We’re your friends, okay?  We want to help.”

Loudmouth finally managed a smile, weak and shaky, but there as he looked up at Rabble.  “Okay.”

It was a little awkward at first, sharing a bed with them, and he hovered for a little while at the perimeter, before Mischief sighed.  “Come on,” he said with a little smile, lifting his arm and nodding for Loudmouth to join him.  There was a moment of hesitation before he gave in, curling up at Mischief’s side, Ruckus shifting to lay at his other side, with Rabble sprawled over all of them.  After that, it was only a few minutes before he fell asleep, warm and comfortable.

He didn’t have a nightmare that night, and he woke up the next morning feeling more rested than he had in weeks.  After that, it was a regular occurrence that he would text one of the brothers when the nightmare cycles started again, or show up at their door in pajamas with a haunted look in his eyes, and they would welcome him in without question.  It was good to have friends.


End file.
